Parachute’s National Teen Driver Safety Week Oct. 20 to 26 aims to reduce drugged driving and teach about driving safely without impairment, distraction and aggression.

TORONTO, October 15, 2019 – National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), an annual public awareness campaign aimed at educating young drivers about road safety, is taking place October 20 to 26. This year, Parachute and Desjardins are calling on teens to #KnowWhatImpairedMeans and help reduce drugged driving.

Youth represent the largest number of drivers that test positive for drugs or alcohol after a fatal crash. In fact, according to the Government of Canada, 22 per cent of youth who have used cannabis admit to driving under the influence, with the majority saying they don’t believe it is as dangerous as drunk driving. Teens need to #KnowWhatImpairedMeans – that cannabis impairs your ability to control your speed, maintain a proper following distance and stay in your lane. Combining cannabis with alcohol greatly increases the negative impact on driving skills. 

Educating teens about drunk, distracted and aggressive driving – including speeding – is also part of this year’s NTDSW campaign.

“We want teen drivers and their passengers to know what ‘impaired’ means,” says Pamela Fuselli, Parachute’s President and CEO. “It means your physical and mental abilities to focus your attention on driving is compromised, whether temporarily – like when you reach for a phone – or longer term, when you have alcohol and/or drugs in your system. All drivers, but especially young inexperienced drivers, need to be able to focus on the complex task of driving without distraction or impairment.”

“National Teen Driver Safety Week is an important campaign that supports something very close to Desjardins, our youth” says Alain Hade, Vice-President, Marketing and Member Client Experience at Desjardins Insurance. “It’s crucial that we stay focused and alert on our roads, distracted or impaired driving puts us, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians at risk. We are proud to partner with Parachute and encourage safe habits that can prevent injuries and fatalities on our roads.”

During the week of October 20 to 26, 2019, teens, parents and influencers will be participating in NTDSW activities across Canadian communities, including Positive Ticketing Blitzes, which promote, encourage and reward good driving habits among teens.

Visit parachute.ca/ntdsw to learn more about National Teen Driver Safety Week and download our free resources for community activities, social media sharing, and education.

About Parachute
Parachute is Canada’s national charity dedicated to reducing the devastating impact of preventable injuries. Injury is the No. 1 killer of Canadians aged 1 to 34, where on average one child dies every day due to injury. Through education and advocacy, Parachute is working to save lives and create a Canada free of serious injuries. For more information, visit us at parachute.caand follow us on Twitter,Facebook, Instagramand LinkedIn.

About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada and the fifth largest in the world, with assets of $310.9 billion. It has been rated one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the World’s Strongest Banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has one of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry.

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Media contact:
Kelley Teahen, Vice President, Communications & Marketing
media@parachute.ca
647-776-5128

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